NIKE HOPING TO CASH IN

As a nation waits today for the results of the scan on the fourth metatarsal of Wayne Rooney's right foot, Nike will be saying a prayer, too. Rooney's good health is as important to the global sports manufacturer as it is to the fate of England in the World Cup finals.

If Rooney is pronounced fit today — at least enough to retain his place in the England squad — Nike will try to ensure that one of its most famous clients is able to make a playing appearance in Germany. It has even considered a modification of his specially-designed Total 90 Supremacy boots in an effort to protect his injury.

Industry sources said yesterday that such a decision may be taken in conjunction with the England and Manchester United medical staff. If it was necessary, a cushioned layer could be added to his right boot.

If Rooney is given the all-clear to return to the England camp in Baden-Baden, Nike has plans to personalise his boots for when he plays, albeit possibly not until the knockout rounds. He will wear a blue-and-silver pair with the “home” kit and a red-and-white version with the “away” kit.

In line with several of his team-mates, Rooney is likely to have the cross of St George and the date of the match on his boots. He might also have the name of Coleen, his fiancée, added to the T90, which is also worn by Rio Ferdinand, the central defender, and Paul Robinson, the goalkeeper.

Ronaldo, the Brazil striker, who wears the company's Mercurial Vapour model favoured by Thierry Henry, the France and Arsenal forward, has suffered from blisters while breaking in a new pair of boots in training this week. However, he is expected to play in Brazil's opening group F match against Croatia on Tuesday.

While hopes of quick recovery from Rooney have been raised by his sprightly displays in England training, doubts remain. Jon Fearn, the physiotherapist of Reading, the winners of the Coca-Cola Championship last season, urged caution.

“The big difficulty is trying to read between all the hype,” Fearn said yesterday. “It all comes down to risk, the risk of refracturing the bone. And there is such a fine line between high risk and low risk.

“Any period in the recovery process is crucial, but it is even more crucial [now] because someone has to make a decision. Will he be fit to play in the next couple of weeks? Or could he come back too soon? And in the days ahead, how will the bone cope with the loading on it?”

Paul Timson, a London-based chartered physiotherapist, agreed. “There is the clinical assessment on a daily basis, but you also have to take into account how the player himself is feeling,” he said. “My initial thought was that he would be up against it, but from what I've seen on television, he seems OK. But then you only see perhaps ten seconds out of what could have been a ten-minute session or more.”

Fearn accepts that there are still questions to answer. “Wayne has not done any contact or high intensity work yet,” he said. “If a defender block-tackles him, how will he react? “You could say that 60 per cent of Joe Bloggs is better than 100 per cent of Fred Bloggs but if Wayne refractures the bone, you then have a healing process on top of a healing process. It would take longer to heal and he could struggle to make the start of next season.”